The present invention relates generally to vehicle steering wheel assemblies and heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems.
In automotive vehicles, it is desirable to provide adequate flow of cooled (air conditioned) air and ventilation air to the vehicle operator. Typically, vents for air conditioned and ventilation air are located on the instrument panel. While these vents work adequately for overall cooling of the passenger compartment, some vehicle operators may want the cool air to blow directly on their bodies or faces. For a front seat passenger who is not operating the vehicle, this is easily accomplished. However, for the vehicle operator, the steering wheel assembly may block much of this flow. The operator's hands on the steering wheel may increase this blockage while making the operator's hands cold. This flow blockage may be more pronounced in small vehicles where the possible locations for the vents on the instrument panel are more limited.